First Impressions
by ForgetNotEmeraldCity
Summary: I didn't want to love him. He's a liar and a cheat...or so I'm told. All I want is to do well in school and escape this godforsaken place before I become trapped just like everyone else. I fell into the depths of those piercing green eyes, and I don't think I can crawl my way back out. I swore to myself that I wouldn't tolerate distractions. That was a lie.
1. Chapter 1

_Rain._

_Incessant rain._

The once peaceful and tranquil sound of the drops hitting the ground has now become the monotonous soundtrack of my life. I'll admit that I was warned about the precipitation before moving to Seattle, Washington. However, it is impossible to imagine such dismal weather while living in the sweltering heat of Arizona. I never realized how much I appreciated the sunlight until it was obscured by the continuous Nimbostratus clouds.

I sit in my car and watch as rain drops roll down my windshield. I've been sitting in the parking lot by the library for nearly twenty minutes trying to decide whether I really need to attend this tutoring session. Finals are in two weeks and I am currently failing my calculus course. My only hope of passing this semester is to do well on this final. I'm an only child, and neither of my parents went to college. Needless to say, I'm under a lot of pressure to succeed.

My first semester as a college student has gone fairly well. I've made some great friends and my classes have been interesting. I've been working at a nearby bookstore for a few weeks now. I've been very careful to avoid distractions this semester. I can't afford to fail. Once I get my degree I'm getting out of here. As a child I'd listened to my parents make plans to go back to school and travel the world. The years passed and these plans fell through. Although they won't admit it, I know that's part of the reason their marriage broke apart. Life just got in the way. That's why I'm sitting outside the library on a Friday afternoon as the rain continues to fall outside. I'm trying so hard to avoid becoming my parents.

I glance at my cell phone, it's almost one o'clock. I consider driving back to the dorm and starting one of the many new books I've recently purchased at work. I'm sure if I tried hard enough I could figure out my homework without a tutors assistance. I've never been the kind of person to ask for help. I've always been mature for my age. Growing up, I was more of a parent than a child; I didn't have the luxury of being ignorant to the challenges of life. My mother is much too childish to take on the adult responsibilities that are demanded of her, and my dad never really recovered from the divorce. At home, when the food ran out, I was the one who went grocery shopping. When the electric company threatened to shut off our power due to late payments I wrote out the checks to keep us going for another month. I've never had a problem with this arrangement. There was never a problem that I couldn't solve. Until I took calculus, apparently. So here I am, mentally preparing myself to step outside my comfort zone and ask for some much needed help.

I fidget in my seat and decide I can't wait any longer. I reach over to the passenger seat where I placed my backpack and situate it over my right shoulder. With one last longing look in the direction of my dorm, I sigh and get out of the car. The rain falls gently around me as I awkwardly sprint to the library doors attempting to avoid stepping in the puddles of water surrounding the main entrance.

When I enter the warm atmosphere of the library, I find myself relaxing. Why should I be embarrassed about getting help? This is a school. As students we are encouraged to seek assistance when needed and to ask questions when we don't understand the lessons. There is absolutely no reason why I should feel ashamed.

With this mantra on repeat, I walk with my head held high to the back room where tutors are helping those with struggles similar to my own. On my way I notice several exhausted looking students hunched over tables with books and papers scattered everywhere. Finals are taking their tolls on everyone. I walk the remaining distance feeling significantly less intimidated. I spot the room where my session will be held and push the door open. Inside I immediately notice a front desk and several small secluded rooms in the back. An older woman with short blond hair and glasses is struggling with the large printer behind the counter. I watch as she randomly presses buttons, probably hoping that one of them will make the machine work.

"Excuse me, I'm here for my tutoring session" I say to the woman, who looks up at me quickly.

"Yes, of course! Sorry, this printer simply hates me. This is the third time this week it's jammed. What's your name, dear?" she asks kindly, walking back to the front desk.

I smile and answer, "Bella Swan."

She turns to her desk where she looks through a small stack of papers, pushing up her falling glasses as she does so. She flips through the stack until her eyes light up with recognition and she turns back to me.

"Yes, Isabella Swan, here you are. You will be in room number twelve with Mr. Cullen" she replies.

I frown at the woman. _Cullen_. That name sounds familiar, but I'm pretty sure I've never had a class with a Cullen. The woman looks at my face and quickly remarks, "Oh, don't worry, dear. He s absolutely brilliant. Trust me, you are in very capable hands". She gives me one last smile before she writes a small note on my request form and heads back over to the printer. With a deep inhale I walk down the back hall and locate room number twelve. I readjust the strap on my backpack then knock three times on the wooden door.

"Come in," a voice says from inside the room. With as much confidence as I can muster up, I turn the knob and push open the door. Inside there is a single round mahogany table with four cushioned chairs surrounding it. The white walls are covered with posters containing slogans such as 'Focus on Success' and 'The Four Keys to College and Career Readiness'. With his back to me, my tutor sits at the table typing away at his computer. His bronze disheveled hair makes me think he has been running his hands through it repeatedly. His tight grey t-shirt allows me to see the outline of his muscular arms and the contours of what I can only imagine to be a very strong back.

"Hi, my name is Bella. I'm here for my one o'clock session."

"Yes, please have a seat. I just need a moment," he says without looking at me. He continues to type what looks to be an email.

I shut the door behind me and walk around the table and choose the seat directly across from him. As I lower myself into the chair I can hear the rain hit the roof with greater force than when I entered the building. I set my bag on the floor and open the front zipper to retrieve my calculus book and notebook. Next, I grab my pencil bag to take out a pencil and calculator. With the items placed on table in front of me, I finally look up at my tutor. At that moment I realize why the name Cullen sounded familiar.

Sitting before me is none other than _Edward Cullen_.

Edward is a senior this year. He's incredibly smart and well liked by everyone. Guys can't help but envy his wealth and popularity and girls want nothing more than to spend a night in his bed. His father is a world renowned surgeon and a very generous benefactor of the school. The last I heard, the administration was planning on naming the new research building after him. Edward Cullen is the favorite among all the professors and he is currently sitting across from me...as my tutor.

I was raised to respect everyone. I was taught the value of money and I was told to never judge someone based on rumor mill speculation. I have never even spoken a word to Edward Cullen and yet I knew I hated him with every fiber of my being.

Edward has a reputation for getting around. And when I say getting around, what I really mean is that he's basically slept with every girl in my residence hall. Now, I wouldn't usually fault someone for having sex, even with numerous partners, but it's the fact that afterward, Edward ceases all contact with the girls. He ignores their phone calls and texts. He blocks their emails and deletes them from all social media. And if one of the girls manages to track him down, determined to make a relationship between them work, he goes off on a rage claiming that what they had done was a mistake and that he regretted having ever met them. Again, I wouldn't typically believe these claims even if they were being made by every girl on campus. The only reason I find myself staring daggers at Edward's downturned head is because this is what he did to my bestfriend. She believed there were redeeming qualities hidden underneath the egotistical playboy exterior, but she was wrong.

Right as I'm about to pack up my belongings and storm out of the room he looks up at me. I am momentarily paralyzed by his piercing green eyes. They hold me captive as he stares unblinkingly. He looks at me with mild confusion then smiles at me crookedly, showing off his perfect white teeth.

"Hey, I'm Edward. You're here to get help with calculus, correct?" he asks still smiling at me with that stupid grin. I want to give him a rhetorical remark about who here really needs help, but change my mind last second.

"You know what, you seem like you're really busy and I'm sure there is someone who needs your help more than me, so I'm just going to leave. I'm sorry for wasting your time," I gather my supplies and stand. There is no way I'm going to be tutored by this womanizer, no matter how desperate I am to pass finals.

"No, wait!" he responds quickly, with a hint of panic in his voice. "Please, I promise I'm not too busy for you. Besides, is sounds like there's a downpour outside and you've already made the trip here," Edward stands and gestures to the chair from which I've just risen, trying to convince me to stay. For the first time, I truly look at him. He stands over six feet tall, his strong athletic body towering over mine. Even I have to admit that he is incredibly attractive. Looking at him, his eyes silently asking me to stay, I almost consider sitting back down. Almost.

With the image of my best friend crying in my arms at two in the morning because of what this lowlife said to her in my head, I reply without remorse, "That's okay, I don't mind the rain." That was the first lie I ever told Edward Cullen. With one final glance at his disappointed face, I place my bag on my shoulder and walk out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing; however, any and all feedback is much appreciated. **

* * *

The following day I find myself stocking shelves at the Teen section at work. I wasn't scheduled to work today but a coworker called in sick with the flu. I figured I probably wasn't going to study anyway so I might as well make a little extra money.

I stare absentmindedly at the covers of the books until I see one title in particular, _Anybody Can Be Cool...But Awesome Takes Practice_. What the hell has happened to literature? Who even reads this crap?

When I finish arranging the books to my satisfaction I walk over to the front counter and sit down on the stool placed by the register. Business has been rather slow today so I grab my copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ out of my bag and begin to read. I've read these words at least a dozen times and yet I never fail to get goosebumps when Mr. Darcy professes his love to Elizabeth.

_"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."_

_Pride and Prejudice_ is a story of first impressions. Elizabeth believes Mr. Darcy to be pompous and arrogant and he believes Elizabeth to be beneath his status due to her family's lack of wealth and connections. Their differences make them prejudiced, but they later dismiss these differences and discover love in one another.

As I relive Elizabeth and Darcy's romantic tale I can't help but wish I had my own Mr. Darcy. Someone who would accept me as I am instead of trying to change me. Someone who would love and support me unconditionally.

The sound of the bell by the front door signals the entrance of a customer and I lose focus of the words in front of me.

I look up from my book and see a tall burly man staring at me from across the room. His dark, slightly curly hair makes his face look youthful in comparison to his otherwise extremely muscular frame.

"Hey, do you sell any calculus books here? Perhaps a Calculus for Dummies book?" he questions.

I give him a knowing smile and simply ask, "Finals?"

"Yeah, if I don't pass this last test I'm beyond screwed," he says rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Tell me about it. Calculus is my worst subject," I look down, a little embarrassed to admit this particular fact. "Unfortunately, we don't have any copies of Calculus for Dummies," I smile, "but we have plenty of CliffsNotes. You can find them in the last aisle over there," I say, pointing towards the back of the store.

"Thanks, I'll go check it out."

Once his figure disappears behind the sea of shelves I glance at the time on my phone. Only thirty minutes to go. I consider my options for tonight. My friend Alice invited me to go with her to the movies but I really didn't feel like sitting through another romantic comedy with that girl. I swear the plots were always the same - girl meets guy, girl falls in love with guy, guy does something stupid which leads to a huge fight, but girl eventually forgives him and they live happily ever after. Predictable.

I probably should study for finals, but I doubt it would help much. There's too much material to go over before finals. As I start to consider just calling it an early night the burly man returns to the counter with a couple of books in his hands.

"Did you find everything alright?" I obligatorily ask, reaching to grab the first book to scan.

"Yeah, hopefully these books can teach me in two weeks what I was supposed to learn in a whole semester."

"Well," I begin, scanning the second book, "I've personally read both of these so I can honestly recommend them. I'm still a hopeless mess for finals, but I know a little more than nothing thanks to these two."

"That's good cause I need all the help I can get," he says, taking a few crisp bills out of his wallet.

I take the money and start to make change when the guy surprises me by saying, "Look, feel free to say no, but me and a few friends are getting together tonight to review for this calculus final and you're welcome to join us. We're meeting up at Tully's Coffee at six."

I look up at him suddenly, shocked. "That's nice of you to offer, but I don't even know you. I mean, no offense, but you could be a serial killer or rapist."

Instead of looking angry like I had expected, the man laughs. "I like you, you're funny! My name is Emmett McCarty, I was born in Gatlinburg, Tennessee on August 23, 1991. Feel free to pass that information along in the off chance you're reported missing tomorrow," he says with a wide contagious grin.

I blush and advert my eyes. "Sorry, I'm a sheriff's daughter. Safety was always first priority at home."

"No problem," he smiles "Like I said, there's no pressure to come. Maybe I'll see you there," he grabs his purchases and turns to leave.

"Yeah, maybe."

I watch as the guy waves goodbye and exits the store.

* * *

_Asymptote_

_Derivative_

_Gradient_

These terms now make up the sum of my calculus vocabulary.

_Logarithm_

_Magnitude_

_Vector_

These words have lost all sense of meaning.

I sit on my bed cross legged with half a dozen books spread around me. Crumpled papers with incorrect mathematical calculations litter the floor. The red glare of my alarm clock claims that it's only half past five. The remainder of my afternoon passed uneventfully. When I finished my shift at work I came back to the dorm with the intention of finishing my paper on _The Age of Innocence_. Instead, I changed into a pair of short and an oversized t-shirt and accidentally fell asleep. I woke up an hour later lacking any and all motivation to be productive.

I let out a sigh and fall back onto my bed, ignoring the sound of papers being scattered as I move my legs out from under me. I consider calling Alice to let her know I'll go to the movies with her just to avoid studying. There's absolutely no way I'll be able to learn everything in time to do well on this exam.

In reality, what's the worst that could happen if I fail this course?

I let out a groan when I picture telling my parents that I failed. They would give me a halfhearted smile and tell me that everything would be okay, but I knew they would be disappointed. They were so proud when I told them my plans to go to college and make something of myself.

With a new sense of determination I sit back up and glance at my clock again. I think back to the guy at the bookstores offer. What was his name? Emmett?

I wouldn't normally meet up with a complete stranger under the pretenses of studying...but I could really use the help. Besides, he seemed nice enough.

I hop off the bed and walk over to my closet where I pick out a faded pair of blue jeans and an old grey hooded sweatshirt. I quickly change clothes and grab the necessary materials from my bed and stuff them in my backpack. With a final glance at the clock I grab my keys and leave the room.

While I make my way out of the residence hall I can't help but wonder what I'm getting myself into. What if this guy doesn't even remember me when I show up? What if his study buddies are upset that he invited a complete stranger to their study session?

My worries are interrupted as I walk out the building and a few drops of rain hit my cheeks. I make my way to where I parked my car and contemplate the humility I'm guaranteed to experience if either of these scenarios play out.

Just one step at a time, I tell myself. I'll just have to see where the night takes me.

Before I can change my mind and head back to my dorm, I enter the car and begin the drive to Tully's. It s not nearly as long of a drive as I thought and I soon find myself parked out front the shop. Light shines through the large glass window by the front entrance. The darkening sky makes the store look warm and welcoming.

I grab my bag about to exit the car when my phone starts ringing in my front pocket. I look at the caller i.d. and smile.

"Hi, Alice."

"Bella! I promise this movie is different. I think you'll really like it. Say you'll go with me!" she pleads.

"Sorry, Alice, but you've said the exact same thing for every movie we've seen together. I no longer believe you. Besides, I'm meeting up with a study group to review for finals."

I can practically see Alice rolling her eyes at me. "Fine. You're off the hook this time, Swan. I'll still see you tomorrow, right?" she asks.

"Yes, I promise."

"Cross your heart and hope to die?" Alice jokes.

"Yes, Alice" I say smiling, "Oh, hey! Speaking of dying, if I go missing tomorrow, tell the cops the name Emmett McCarty."

"Speaking of dying? Should I be concerned, Bella?" Alice asks lightly.

"No, I'll probably be fine. I'll see you tomorrow. Promise." I hang up quickly before Alice can justify calling in a S.W.A.T. team to come rescue me.

I put my phone back in my pocket and leave the dry comfort of my car. I sprint to the front door of the coffee shop trying not to get drenched in the continuous fall of rain.

When I pull open the door I am assaulted by a wide array of intoxicating aromas. Not only can I smell freshly brewed coffee but various muffins, scones, and cookies. I feel myself relaxing as I look around. Tables are arranged by the entryway with a couple of chairs placed at each one. Booths can be seen in the back, providing a more secluded and intimate setting. The walls are covered with pictures of celebrities who must have patroned this establishment at some point in time. Soft music can be heard playing throughout, giving the store a calm atmosphere.

I begin to wonder if I got the time right when I fail to see the tall burly man who had visited the bookstore earlier. Just as I'm about to admit defeat and head back to the dorms I see someone smiling at me and waving from one of the booths in the back.

I wave back and walk to where Emmett is sitting.

"Hey, I hope you don't mind that I actually showed up" I say, biting my lip in apprehension.

"Not at all! I'm glad you made it," he grins "Unfortunately, a few of my friends had to cancel. That damn flu has been spreading like wildfire. But my buddy Jasper is in the bathroom right now and my roommate should be here any minute. He's the smartest in the group so he should be able make sense of this," he says gesturing to his text book lying open in front of him.

I sit down across from him and pull out my own copy of the calculus book.

"Hey, I don't think I caught your name earlier."

I blush, a little embarrassed of my thoughtlessness, "Sorry, I'm Bella."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Bella," Emmett opens his mouth as though he wants to say something more, but changes his mind when he looks at something over my shoulder.

"_There_ he is! I was starting to wonder if you were going to show!"

I turn around in my seat to see who Emmett is talking to and I am met with a pair of brilliant green eyes staring back at me.


End file.
